Folding crate.



un knew? I. F. LAMP. FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. I915.

1 ,206,71 9. Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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FOLDING CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed November 23, 1915. Serial No. 63,086.

To all who 21L it may concern Be it known that I, IRA F. LAMP, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Grifiithsville, in the county of Lincoln and State of W est Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements inFolding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding crates and especially to crates used for the trans portation of chickens and other fowls.

One object of the invention is to produce a crate which when in use for the transportation of fowls, produce and the like will be of ample capacity and which, when folded or collapsed for reshipment will occupy the smallest possible cubic area.

A further object of the invention is to produce a folding crate of simple and i111 proved construction the parts of which are so arranged and connected together as to make the contents easily available for examination orfor filling and emptying the crate.

.Vith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarilymade to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the improved crate extended for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 2,2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3

is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 33 in F ig. 1. Fig. d is a plan view showing the crate partly collapsed. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the crate collapsed for transportation. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the crate extended for use.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference. The improved crate comprises in its con struction a bottom member A, side members B, B, end members C, C, and a top member D, which latter may also be regarded as constituting a lid or cover.

The bottom member is divided longitudinally to form two wings which are connected together by hinges 16 at the lower edges of their meeting faces. Each side member B. B, is composed of two wings, namely, an upper wing 17 and a lower wing 18, said wings being connected together by hinges 19 secured on the out r faces of the respective wings along the meeting edges thereof so as to enable the said wings to be folded together. Each end member C is composed of upper and lower wings 20, 9.1

. which are connected together by hinges 22 disposed on the outer faces of said wings along the meeting edges thereof. The upper wing of each end member is connected with the upper wing 17 of the side member B by means of hinges 23 secured on the innor faces of the respective members 20 and 17, enabling the end members, when folded or collapsed, to be folded on the inner face of the top wing 1'? of the side member B with which they are connected. The top member or lid D ishingedly connected with the top wing of the other side member B, as will be presently more fully described.

The top member D is composed of two wings, one of which, 24, extends the full length of the crate, while the other wing 25 is materially shorter than its mate with which it is connected by means of hinges 26 secured on the top faces of the respective wings. Hingedly connected with the wing at one end of said wing is an auxiliary lid 27 which may be operated independently for placing poultry or removing it from the crate. 'The hinges'QS which connect the auxiliary lid 27 are secured on the top faces of said wing and auxiliary lid. The short wing 25 of the top member D is connected with the-side member B by means of hinges 29 which are secured on the inner faces of the respective members which may thus be folded together. Hooks and eyes 30, 31 are provi led whereby the upper wings 20 of the end members C may be connected with the upper wing 17 of the side member B, and similar hooks and eyes 30 and 31 are provided to connect the lower wings 21 of the end members C with the bottom member when the crate is extended for use, these being the only fastening members required to maintain the crate in extended position, it

being, of course, understood that any Well known and appropriate fastening means may be substituted for the hooks and eyes. Fastening means consisting of a hook 352 and an eye 33 have also been shown for the purpose of connecting the free edge of the lid or top member with the top edge of the side member B for the purpose of securing the lid in closed position. No fastening means has been shown for the auxiliary lid 27, but such means may be provided if desired.

The wings of the bottom member A. have been shown as being constructed of solid material and the wings of the side members, the end members and the top member, as well as the auxiliary lid, have been shown as constructed of lattice-work, thereby producing a crate which is freely ventilated and which will, therefore, be particularly useful for the transportation of live poultry, as well as produce of any kind which keeps best in a freely ventilated condition. The wings of the side members, the end members and the top member or any of said wings may, however, be constructed of solid material when preferred.

In folding or collapsing the improved crate, it will be seen that the side members B, B may be folded or collapsed on the wings of the bottom member, which latter is then folded so that the wings of the two side members will be presented exteriorly of the wings of the bottom member. The lid or top member D may now be folded and collapsed on the top wing of the side mem ber B with which it is hingedly connected, and the end members, having first been folded, are now collapsed endwise on the side member B with the upper wing of which the upper wings of said end members are hingedly connected at the two ends thereof. A compact bundle will thus be produced, as best seen in Fig. 6, there being no Waste spaces, and the crate may, therefore, be stored and reshipped in the smallest possible space and at the least possible expense. It may be stated that in the practical manuacture of the crate it is preferred that the height and width should be approximately equal and that the length be approximately equal to the combined height and width, but these proportions may be departed from.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A folding crate comprising a longitudinally divided bottom member, the wings of which are hingedly connected together, longitudinally divided side members, the wings of which are hingedly connected together, hinges connecting the lower wings of the side members with the outer edges of the wings of the bottom members, longitudinally divided end members each consisting of hingedly connected upper and lower wings, hinges connecting the upper wings of the two end members with the ends of the upper wing of one side member, a longitudinally divided top member comprising hingedly connected wings, and hinges connecting one wing of the top member with the upper wing of the other side member.

2. A folding crate comprising a longitudinally divided bottom member, the wings of which are hingedly connected together, longitudinally divided side members, the wings of which are hingedly connected together, hinges connecting the lower wings of the side members with the outer edges of the wings of the bottom members, longitudinally divided end members each consisting of hingedly connected upper and lower wings, hinges connecting the upper wings of the two end members with the ends of the upper wing of one side member, a longitudinally divided top member comprising hingedly connected wings, and hinges connecting one wing of the top member with the upper wing of the other side member; one wing of the top member being composed of two hingedly connected parts, one of which constitutes an auxiliary lid.

3. A folding crate comprising a longitudinally divided bottom member, the wings of which are hingedly connected together, longitudinally divided side members, the wings of which are hingedly connected to gether, hinges connecting the lower wings of the side members with the outer edges of the wings of the bottom members, longi tudinally divided end members each consisting of hingedly connected upper and lower wings, hinges connecting the upper wings of the two end members with the ends of the upper wing of one side member, a longitudinally divided top member comprising hingedly connected wings, and hinges connecting one wing of the top member with the upper wing of the other side member; and fastening means whereby the upper wings of the end members may be detachably connected with the upper wing of the side member with which the top member is hingedly connected.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA F. LAMP. Witnesses:

D. C. OSBORNE, RAYMOND HAMM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

